Rain ruins what was shaping as classic contest at Jade Stadium

Today's rain has left Sunday's final round of State Shield matches as absolutely vital for all the teams in the competition.

It is likely, though bonus points could cloud the issue, that the three winning teams in the games between Canterbury and Auckland, Wellington and Otago and Central Districts and Northern Districts, will be the sides to go through to the semi-finals/finals system.

Both Canterbury and Otago had reason to be disappointed with the outcome at Jade Stadium in Christchurch.

Otago had been looking good to get a reasonable score had their innings not been rain interrupted.

Craig Cumming had given his side an outstanding start with a 66-ball innings for 57 when opening the batting. He added 77 runs for the second wicket with Marcel McKenzie. Cumming's cover driving was immaculate as he took toll of some over-pitched Canterbury bowling.

McKenzie was run out for 33 while Brendon McCullum hit 17 before he was out stumped when trying to take on Craig McMillan's bowling. A rain break after 37 overs interrupted an assault that Jordan Sheed was making. At one stage he had taken three consecutive boundaries from McMillan's bowling.

When Sheed and Peter McGlashan returned after the rain break, they had a little over three overs left before the innings was completed. Off the first ball, Sheed was dropped by Nathan Astle at first slip. McGlashan then hit out against Astle taking two fours from him as 11 runs came from the over.

Sheed was bowled by Shane Bond for 21 while in the last over Warren McSkimming was run out. McGlashan was 25 not out off 24 balls.

Otago finished on 170 for six and when the Duckworth/Lewis system was applied to Canterbury's chase it came up with a target of 201 in the 40 overs available.

Astle got some momentum to the innings when hitting a six and two fours off the third over which was bowled by Shayne O'Connor. But in his next over O'Connor had Shanan Stewart trapped leg before wicket for three runs.

Astle later charged O'Connor for another six but a bowling change by Cumming saw James McMillan and McSkimming slow the scoring down. Astle turned a ball straight to McSkimming fielding at square leg and despite the speed of the ball he was able to grasp the ball, Astle departing for 30 scored off 31 balls.

At the 14 over mark, they left the field for rain and when they returned, with the target reduced to 190 off 37 overs, Gary Stead appeared to be caught, again at square leg, by Nathan Morland who claimed the catch. However, the umpires went to the third umpire who, and because of poor camera angles on the incident, had to give the batsman the benefit of the doubt.

But Otago's, and Morland's, disappointment was assuaged in the next over when Morland took a boundary catch at backward point to remove Craig McMillan for 11 off 39 balls.

There was time for Chris Cairns to score six off a top edge that flew high behind the wicket-keeper McGlashan before the rain rolled in yet again to force the players off the field with Canterbury 64 for three wickets off 16.4 overs.

The rain ruined what had been shaping as a good match. Otago batted well enough to suggest they could set a reasonable target for Canterbury to chase but in the final outcome neither side had gained the ascendancy that would have seen them as deserved winners.